Friday, May 13, 2016

Reveal: Black Is Back Library One Room Challenge!

I'm late posting and super impressed with the 150+ bloggers who posted bright and early on "reveal day."

I hope you like the quote above and I hope you agree that while the post is late,

The Black Is Back Library did not arrive "ugly!!"

At least we don't think so.

We are #obsessed.

Some things changed, some got dropped, some evolved,

but let's face it, at my house everything is a work in progress... including me!

Enough with the chatting.

Here goes photo overload.(and this room was tough to photograph - it doesn't get much sunlight and it was pouring rain when I finally got it together to take some pics. Oh well, #cozy )

The walls were already black (and it was a Dining Room in it's previous life.) They have been black for over 10 years. In a house with white walls everywhere else!But I painted the trim, including window trim, the same glossy Sherwin Williams Tricorn black.#gamechanger

Everything is black including the bookshelves.

The view into the Library from the front door!

There was a plan for a certain art project to hang above the family heirloom desk.
It didn't happen yet so the big gold frame is going to hang there for a while until art happens.
It's kind of like the unfinished portrait of George Washington except way less impressive.

Well, the unfinished part is the same :)

We had the books but pretty much everything else was thrifted!! I know, right?We painted the existing chandelier a fabulous Rustoleum pinky-coral and updated it with round bulbs.

The zebra rug from the original plan was awesome but Mollie and I found this rug a few days ago and she said, "Get it now. It's perfect for the room!!"

I did not know that the coffee table or the bamboo bench would end up in this room until one week ago today. They just worked and both were currently homeless and needing new spots in the house. Who knew?#usewhatyouhave

And a little teaser of how cozy it will be to read a good book in front of the fire

when Winter rolls around again!

These bookcases are meant to house our books but they also work as my command center to handle all the details and mounds of paper that are part of everyday life. The bamboo office organizer and baskets were bought at thrift and consignment shops to hold all of our "stuff" in an attractive way.So our shelves aren't just for books or shelfies - they are hard workers.

This chairs' seat fabric was inspired by the "palm leaf trend"(I'm always about palm leaf fabric trend or not!) all over One Kings Lane right now. And by the fact that I already had it and have dragged it out for 2 previous ORC's. #usewhatyouhaveThe curtains are a Bermuda Triangle type event where bad math done while rushing through a store, IKEA curtains that shrunk unevenly and blue ikat fabric that I already had intersected. Even though the bottoms were supposed to be the coral buffalo check I am very pleased with the post- Bermuda Triangle curtain disaster :)#usewhatyouhave

I knew I wanted to cram the mantel full of blue and white but since each chair needed good reading light I knew a lamp would have to perch on the mantel as well. It is "camouflaged" with a new chinoiserie shade in blue and white!#tricky

The chinoiserie pillows are made from fabric that I fell for at a local warehouse.I wish the pictures really did this glossy black library justice but we love it and can't wait to use it on a regular basis. If anyone is interested in sources I'll be happy to post them soon. Whew!!!! This ORC is finally finished!Thank you Linda for such a fun "challenge!!!"

I love the blue and white and the bamboo chair is divine. I used chinoiserie in my ORC room also. Funny, because I went all white and you went all black. I love the contrast whether it is light or dark. Amazing layered room. Great job!

Thank you. And I hung the mirror and placed the blue and white on the mantel early on. I knew I wanted that look and it was about the only organized spot in the messy room until the very last when things fell together.Whew!

You win the prize for making me laugh out loud! Love that quote. You have such a wonderful collection of blue and white and rattan. My eyes are even greener than usual. :) Have a wonderful flower filled week!

:) Thank you Laura! I loved reading about your relationship to Laura Ingalls Wilder on your blog. So cool! All of my blue and white has been thrifted - just like the rattan and wicker. Goodwill has been good to me!!

I want to shop in your library!!!! You have so many beautiful things on display that make the whole room just gorgeous! The black backdrop made it an elegant room even more! Congrats and CHEERS to us for another room done!

I'm glad I wasn't the only one late to the party! We must live in the same area, because it was raining like crazy the whole week of the reveal here. I love a black room, and I love the rug with it and all of the natural details. How cool that you used so many thrifted items. Great job! -Rachel@TrailerTrashTreasureTrove

Thank you Rachel!! I love the thrifted items.... they help keep redecorating from becoming too costly! It's a challenge to find just the right items in a time crunch but it's the only way I can do it! It would be easier to just buy it all new but since I use so many thrifted items it's fun to celebrate the things that I buy right on the spot. The rug was one of the few in this room. It is an outdoor rug from target! I know? And it feels lie wool and not plasticy outdoor rug at all!